Senior Design Manager

Mace; Peterborough; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Mace is seeking a Senior Design Manager to lead design management and assurance for a c. £50 m p.a. programme of repair, maintenance and capital works in the water sector.

You will drive design solutions that are safe, buildable and fit for purpose across multidisciplinary teams. Experience delivering complex infrastructure programmes. This role requires strong leadership, governance and stakeholder engagement with clients, regulators and delivery partners, plus a proactive approach to risk,

Qualifications

• Experience leading multidisciplinary design teams in utilities/water.
• Proven track record in design management and assurance.
• Knowledge of water assets, networks and treatment infrastructure.

Responsibilities

• Lead design management across water/wastewater projects.
• Establish design assurance processes and stage gates.
• Coordinate internal and external design teams.
• Ensure designs meet client, regulatory, and programme objectives.
• Collaborate with operations, delivery partners and regulators.

Skills

Design leadership

Design governance

Stakeholder management

CDM regulations

BIM & digital engineering

Education

Engineering degree

CEng (or working towards)

Tools

NEC contracts experience

Digital engineering tools (BIM)

Job description

Mace combines construction expertise with consultancy to unlock potential in every person or project and redefine the boundaries of ambition. Our values shape the way we consult and define the people we want to join us on our journey.

A Senior Design Manager responsible for the leadership, management and assurance of a c. £50 m p.a. programme of repair, maintenance and capital works. The role is accountable for ensuring that design solutions are developed, reviewed, assured and delivered in accordance with client requirements, regulatory obligations, industry standards and programme objectives.

Working across the full project lifecycle from scope definition, optioneering and feasibility through detailed design, construction support and handover, the Senior Design Manager will provide technical leadership and governance across multidisciplinary design teams. The role requires a proactive and collaborative approach to managing design risk, driving innovation, improving programme certainty and ensuring designs are safe, buildable, efficient and operationally effective.

A strong background in the Utilities and Water sector is essential, together with experience managing multidisciplinary design teams and assuring the delivery of complex infrastructure programmes.

You’ll Be Responsible For

• Design leadership and assurance: Managing the design management function across a portfolio of water and wastewater projects, ensuring all design outputs meet client requirements, regulatory obligations, engineering standards and programme objectives.
• Design governance and technical assurance: Establishing and implementing robust design assurance processes, stage gate reviews and technical governance arrangements to ensure all designs are safe, compliant, buildable and fit for purpose.
• Multidisciplinary design management: Managing and coordinating internal and external design teams across multiple disciplines, ensuring effective integration of civil, mechanical, electrical, process, instrumentation and operational requirements.
• Operational integration: Working closely with Anglian Water operational teams, programme delivery teams, construction partners and supply chain organisations to ensure designs align with operational needs, asset performance expectations and future maintenance requirements.
• Programme performance and delivery: Supporting successful programme outcomes relating to safety, quality, cost and schedule by ensuring designs are developed in a timely manner, reducing delivery risk and improving programme certainty.
• Design risk and change management: Managing the identification, management and mitigation of design-related risks and opportunities throughout the project lifecycle. Overseeing technical change control processes and ensuring design decisions are appropriately governed and documented.
• Safety in design and compliance: Ensuring compliance with CDM Regulations, industry standards, client specifications and regulatory requirements. Championing Safety in Design principles throughout design development and assurance activities.
• Stakeholder management: Building effective relationships with client representatives, operational stakeholders, delivery partners, regulators and design consultants to facilitate collaboration and successful programme outcomes.
• Continuous improvement and innovation: Driving innovation, best practice and lessons learned across the programme. Identifying opportunities to improve standardisation, efficiency, sustainability and whole-life asset performance.
• Leadership and capability: Providing leadership, mentoring and technical guidance to design management and engineering teams. Ensuring the capability, capacity and governance structures are in place to support successful programme delivery whilst promoting a positive, high-performing and safety-led culture.

You’ll Need To Have

• Significant experience leading multidisciplinary design teams within the Utilities and Water sector.
• Proven track record of design management and design assurance across major infrastructure, maintenance or capital delivery programmes.
• Strong understanding of water and wastewater assets, networks and treatment infrastructure.
• Experience managing design consultants, contractor design teams and supply chain partners.
• Demonstrable knowledge of engineering governance, technical assurance and design review processes.
• Experience implementing and leading design assurance frameworks, technical approvals and stage gate processes.
• Strong understanding of CDM regulations, safety in Design principles and regulatory compliance requirements.
• Experience managing design-related risks, opportunities and change controls.
• Strong stakeholder management and communication skills, with the ability to influence across client, operational and delivery organisations.
• Ability to provide leadership across complex programmes operating within challenging delivery environments.
• Degree qualified in Engineering, Design Management or a related discipline.
• Chartered Engineer (CEng) or working towards chartership.
• Experience delivering projects within AMP programmes and UK regulated water environments.
• Knowledge of Ofwat, the drinking water inspectorate (DWI), the environment agency and relevant water industry standards.
• Experience of NEC contracts and collaborative delivery models.
• Familiarity with digital engineering, BIM and information management requirements.

Our values

Safety first - Going home safe and well: We champion a safe, diverse and inclusive working environment, understanding the importance of wellbeing in every team.

Client focus - Deliver on our promise: We own the quality of deliverables, strategic outcomes and build long term relationships with our clients.

Integrity - Always do the right thing: We influence positive outcomes within our industry, while always aligning with our compliance obligations.

Create opportunity - For our people to excel: We champion a continuous improvement culture throughout all activities, inspiring our people and teams to develop.

Mace is an inclusive employer and welcomes interest from a diverse range of candidates. Even if you feel you do not fulfil all the criteria, please apply as you may still be the best candidate for this role or another role within our organisation.

We are also open to discussing part time, flexible, and hybrid working options if suitable with-in the role.